Richmond Police Chief Magnus & Emeryville Police Chief James - Proposals to Reduce Gun Violence

Emeryville Chief Of Police Instrumental In 'Open Carry' Gun Ban

Emeryville's Police Chief Plays State-Wide Role In New Gun Law

Over the weekend, Governor Brown signed into law Assembly Bill 144, the common sense firearms safety law that bans "open carry" within California, finally putting to rest citizens openly carrying handguns in public spaces and the new law couldn't have been enacted without the efforts of Emeryville's own Chief of Police Ken James.  The contentious issue has been wending its way through the State Assembly in fits and starts for years, gummed up by Republicans and extremist gun groups but was finally signed into law by the Democratic Governor on Sunday.

Chief James has taken a high profile on the issue, serving as the chairman of the gun committee of the influential California Police Chiefs Association and he has used his position to forward AB-144.

Governor Brown told the Associated Press yesterday, "I listened to the police chiefs and they were concerned about" open carry laws.

Emeryville's Police Chief

Ken James

California's new law, the fifth such open carry prohibition in the nation, makes it a misdemeanor to openly carry an unloaded handgun in public spaces, adding to the existing law that forbids carrying loaded firearms openly in such places.  It is this distinction that riled Chief James; "Among other problems it's an officer safety issue, it puts cops in an uncomfortable position", he told the Tattler.  Mr James noted that if people openly carry weapons in the community, officers have to stop to check if the handguns are loaded.  He said such interactions are rife with possibilities of minor officer peccadilloes and they have consequently been a growing source of litigation, elsewhere in the State, against public agencies by the open carry movement.  He hinted that these lawsuits have been part of an orchestrated effort by gun groups such as the National Rifle Association and Cal Guns.  Mr James intimated these lawsuits are being used as a tactic against law enforcement and he noted the ideologically driven nature of the open carry people, "This is just a step, they are driving this towards  'concealed carry' laws" or a forced 'shall issue' permit he said, ultimately for anyone asking to carry a concealed and loaded handgun anywhere for any reason.

The president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, Dallas Stout told reporters Sunday, "By prohibiting the open carry of guns, we can now take our families to the park or out to eat without the worry of getting shot by some untrained, unscreened, self-appointed vigilante."

Chief Ken James concurred, he said it's about public safety, "people should have the right to feel free and safe in their communities."

Petition To Fire Police Chief Ken James Circulates

Gun Group Says Chief James 
Must Go

An organization of gun zealots, the so called 'Responsible Citizens of California', is organizing a state-wide petition to demand the removal of Emeryville's Chief of Police Ken James for alleged violations of the US Constitution the Tattler has learned.  The Internet based group does not appear to have one Emeryville member.

The organization is centralized on the sanction of the "open carry" movement; those who advocate for openly brandishing firearms in shopping malls, around schools and anywhere else in the public arena they see fit.  Police Chief James has publicly rebuked the movement as a waste of police resources and as a serious public safety problem.  The petition started soon after Mr James received Brady Campaign honors for meritorious work for common sense gun regulation.

So far the petition has garnered 33 signatories.

Ken James, an extremely popular chief of police with Emeryville residents, is employed at the pleasure of the Emeryville City Council.

Below is the text of the petition:
To:  City of Emeryville, Emeryville Police Chief Ken James
When in the course of the history of a nation, a government of that nation repudiates its duty to protect the God given rights and liberties of the people and instead evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, a decent respect for the history of that nation and the rule of law requires that they detail their grievances. The Constitution of the these United States declares that “Congress shall make no law…abridging…the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

The people have peaceably assembled to voice their displeasure over the course this government has taken, and continue to do so. Those objections have been ignored, derided and met with repeated injury. Such actions demonstrate this government’s resolute intention to establish an absolute tyranny over the people. Therefore, we the people are resolved to resist these intentions and are now formally petitioning our government for a redress of our grievances. To accomplish this, let the following be submitted to the government and laid before the people:

WHEREAS, all available government and peer-reviewed research shows criminals are deterred by law-abiding citizens with the tools to defend themselves,

WHEREAS, the concept of victim disarmament is embodied in laws that disarm law-abiding citizens, while having no effect upon armed criminals, except to enable their absolute dominance and safety in nearly any criminal confrontation,

WHEREAS, Emeryville Police Chief Ken James has violated his sworn oath to support the Constitution, by acting as a leading government campaigner on behalf of victim disarmament and criminal safety above all else,

WE THE PEOPLE demand the immediate termination or resignation of Emeryville Police Chief Ken James.
Sincerely,
The Undersigned